


Step Ladder

by OpeningMyEyes



Series: Step Ladder [1]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Cute, F/F, Fluff, Librarian AU, Mild Language, WayHaught Au, Wayhaught - Freeform, nicole/wynonna bromance, the librarian au no one asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 16:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18502291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpeningMyEyes/pseuds/OpeningMyEyes
Summary: Nicole hated most libraries. Then again, most libraries didn't have Waverly Earp as a libraran.-Wayhaught Librarian AU-





	Step Ladder

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I really hope you like this one, it's one of my favourite AU ideas. Enjoy!

Nicole had heard many things about the newest library on campus. For a building that was only open for two weeks, there really shouldn’t have been that many rumours about it, but it would appear that like just about everything in Purgatory, the library would defy normal expectations. Now, Nicole wasn’t usually the type to study in libraries, particularly when writing essays, she found the silence too loud and the dark rooms were just too boring and uninspiring. But when her roommate, Wynonna had come home yesterday raving about the best study session she had ever had, well, if Wynonna could study there, Nicole had to give it a shot.

Walking in the door, Nicole had to admit that at a first glance, Wynonna seemed to be right. One wall consisted of just glass, the light streaming through combatting Nicole’s ‘dark’ library stereotype. The bookshelves weren’t overly tall and intimidating; in fact they seemed inviting, beckoning people to come pick up a book. Students were scattered around circular tables, working away peacefully. The whole scene seemed… welcoming and in a strange way, almost social. Shrugging, Nicole slung her bag down on a nearby chair and took out her laptop allowing it to boot up as she scanned the nearby shelves for extra sources. Delighted after finding not one, but two in-depth books on the exact topic she needed, Nicole retreated to her seat to begin.

After writing half her word count (score!), Nicole got up to stretch her legs and browsed the nearby shelves. Engrossed in finding a book, she didn’t notice someone had approached until she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Excuse me?” 

Nicole looked over to see a brunette, at least a head shorter than her looking up at her with big, brown, quizzical eyes. Nicole had a niggling feeling she had seen her somewhere, but shrugged it off. She would remember that face. 

“Yes?” Nicole asked, donning her trademark smirk, and raising an eyebrow at the woman next to her.

“Hi, sorry I was just wondering if you would mind putting a book up on the top shelf for me?” The brunette blushed and looked down at her feet for a moment before giggling a little.

“I can’t quite reach.”

Nicole couldn’t help but laugh a little with her. “Yeah, of course.”

“Great!” She spun around to a cart Nicole noticed for the first time, flicking through a stack until she found the right one. Her black top which had been tied at the back to moonlight as a crop top read ‘staff’ in red block letters and Nicole sucked in a breath as she had a double take because, hang on a minute, the person in front of her could not possibly be a librarian.

Nicole always hated stereotypes, but come on, librarians were supposed to be greying old ladies with glasses hanging from a string around their neck and withered lips from telling people to ‘hush’ every five minutes. They were not supposed to be incredibly beautiful, young women with seemingly perfect eyesight and possibly the most enticing lips Nicole Haught had ever seen.

“Just up there,” The librarian said, handing Nicole a blue, hardback book and pointing to where she wanted it.

Nicole took it her fingers brushing not-so-accidentally with the shorter girl’s and she put it in place with ease.

“Thank you so much!” she said beaming. “I should really get a step ladder for this place.”

Nicole giggled and held out her hand, “Anytime. I’m Nicole.”

The brunette slid her hand into Nicole’s, her skin soft and warm, long slender fingers wrapping tenderly around Nicole’s own and Nicole could have sworn their hands were designed to fit together.

“Waverly.”

“Well Waverly, I guess I’ll be seeing you around.” Nicole said, hoping she seemed coy and not as ridiculously desperate as she felt.

“Yeah, I sure hope so.” She heard Waverly reply a little breathlessly before she blushed and continued, stuttering a little. 

“That is, because I don’t have a step ladder yet. That’s all, yeah there’s, uh, no other reason…”

Waverly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, putting her hands on the cart and beginning to push it away.

“Bye Nicole.” She said one last time, flashing her a smile that had Nicole’s knees wobbling.

“Bye Waverly.” Nicole murmured, but the librarian was out of earshot. One thing Nicole knew for sure in that moment (if she hadn’t made up her mind already) she would most definitely become a regular here.

 

Nicole wasn’t a creepy stalker. Really, she wasn’t. But the fact that she knew Waverly’s work schedule might indicate otherwise. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, Waverly was in the library, looking like she belonged nowhere else.

Nicole had also come to the realisation that her Waverly was Wynonna’s Waverly. Yeah, the way she came upon that bit of information was not how you would want your best friend to find out you’re totally in love with their little sister.

Nicole had been lying on her bed, her head hanging off the edge, her feet up on the wall when Wynonna burst into the room in her usual dramatic fashion and proceeded to throw herself down on the bed next to Nicole.

“Hey Haught-Shot, haven’t seen you around here too much lately.

Nicole had shrugged. “I’ve been studying at the new library.”

Wynonna sat up, the mattress groaning under the weight of the two of them.

“I thought you hated studying in libraries. Wait, scratch that, I know you hate studying in libraries because you used to rant about them like every day freshman year.”

Nicole rolled her eyes but didn’t protest. Most of it was true, plus she had found that when Wynonna wanted to say something, it was easier to just let her ramble on instead of trying to interrupt. That little trick had saved Nicole a lot of time in the long run.

“Unless…” Wynonna looked at Nicole with wide eyes. 

“I’ve got it! You’ve totally got the ‘haughts’ for someone in the library!”

Nicole groaned and threw her arm over her face, hoping it would cover her blush.

“Wynonna, you know you really don’t have to make my name a pun for everything.”

Wynonna poked Nicole in the side, not so lightly. “I totally do, but don’t you try change the topic on me. Who’s the girl?”

Nicole just groaned again, reaching around Wynonna and grabbing her pillow, burying her face with it. Maybe if she smothered herself, she could get out of Wynonna’s interrogation.

“There’s no girl Wynonna, it’s just a good place to study.”

“I know it’s a good place to study, that’s why I told you to go there. But don’t try bullshit me. You may have straight A’s, but not even you study that much. So…,” She badgered, dragging out the ‘o’. “Who is she?”

“Her name’s Waverly.” Nicole muttered into the pillow.

“Sorry, say that again, I didn’t quite catch that.” Wynonna said, climbing on top of Nicole as if to hold her in place and even though Nicole couldn’t see her, the smirk was evident in her voice.

Nicole dragged the pillow away from her face, knowing it was no use resisting.

“Her name’s Waverly.” She had confided to Wynonna quietly and watched in shock as Wynonna fell off Nicole and tumbled to the floor.

“I’m not sure if I should hit you or laugh at you.” Wynonna called from the floor.

Nicole peered over the edge, looking down at her roommate in confusion.

“What? Why?”

“Because you dork,” Wynonna explained, voice cracking as she sat up, “You’re after falling for my sister.”

Nicole had simply blinked.

“Wait a minute…” Nicole looked at Wynonna blankly for a moment.

“So what you’re saying is… Your sister is the Waverly who works at the new library?”

“Ding ding ding! Got it in one.” Wynonna replied and to be perfectly honest, Nicole had no idea if she was being sarcastic or not.

“So, what you’re saying is I can’t ask her out?” She asked, her voice getting higher as the sentence progressed, hoping beyond hopes that Wynonna wouldn’t care in the slightest.

Nicole sighed. Chances of that happening were slim.

“I’m not saying that you tool.” Wynonna retaliated, flinging a pillow at Nicole.

“Who do you think I am, my sister’s keeper? This is the twenty first century; ask her out if you want. That is, if you have the balls.”

Nicole glared at her. “I totally have the balls!”

“Sure, sure,” Wynonna deflected. “Whatever you say.”

“What exactly are you insinuating Wynonna?”

Wynona stood up and did a casual twirl as she brushed out her hair.  
“Oh you know, just that you never ask out anyone you really like.”

Nicole gasped. “That is not true! Take it back!”

“It’s so true, stop denying it.” Wynonna drawled, her calm sarcastic tone infuriating Nicole.

“Think about it Haught-stuff. Sure, you’ve asked girls out, ones you met in a bar or at a party, but never anyone you’ve truly had a crush on.”

Nicole opened her mouth to protest, but found truth in Wynonna’s words. Even with Shae, Nicole’s most serious relationship so far, Nicole hadn’t been the one to make the first move. She slumped back down on her bed, defeated.

“Huh.” Was the only thing she managed to huff out.

“But you know if you did, by some miracle, ever actually ask her out… I’m chill with it.”

Nicole threw Wynonna a small sideways smirk.

“Yeah?”

Wynonna nodded in confirmation. “Yeah. Unless you hurt her. In which case, your ass is mine Haught.”

Nicole shuddered and giggled at the same time.

“Fine by me.” She mumbled, and it was (because Nicole would never intentionally do anything that would cause Waverly Earp any pain).

 

“Hey Nicole?” 

Nicole looked up from the essay she was typing to see Waverly calling her from two shelves over. The afore-mentioned librarian was on her tip-toes, tongue poking out in concentration as she tried to reach a shelf. Nicole laughed as she stood up, taking her time to walk the ten paces, just to tease her.

“I really need a step ladder.” Waverly sighed. It was what she said just about every time she needed Nicole’s assistance to put a book away.

“But that would put me out of the job.” Nicole chuckled as she took the book from Waverly, trying not to focus too much on the way their fingers brushed as the book was passed from one girl to the other.

“Very true. I think I’d miss having an excuse to see you.” Waverly joked and Nicole slid the book into place with ease.

“Go on a date with me and you’ll never need an excuse again.” Nicole said casually then her eyes widened, along with Waverly’s as they both realised what she had just said.

Nicole was about to jump in, to say what she didn’t know, anything to fill the silence that probably wasn’t very long but, to Nicole, felt like hours, but Waverly got there first.

“I’d love to.”

Nicole blinked in surprise. “Wait, really?”

Waverly giggled. “Yes, of course. I’ve been flirting with you since we met. Honestly I was starting to think you were straight.”

A laugh burst out of Nicole. “No, definitely not straight, just an idiot apparently.”  
Nicole sighed, shaking her head at herself before allowing herself to grin as the realisation of what had just happened set into her.  
“So, are you free tomorrow, at six? I can pick you up?”

That smile that had Nicole melting appeared once more on Waverly’s face as she nodded. 

“See you then.”

Waverly moved away, needing to return to her work and Nicole drifted back to her desk, half in a daze. She settled back into her essay, but her mind was no longer on it. She was already plotting where exactly she would take Waverly. And totally creating the smug speech she would give Wynonna as a consequence of having no faith in her best friend.  
Nicole glanced up once to see Waverly Earp smiling at her from the top of the room and beamed. Libraries were fucking awesome.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I was thinking of writing a follow up/turning this into a series... thoughts? I love to hear what you think!
> 
> Find me on Instagram (opening.my.eyes)


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